Norvel 15

Has anyone had any experience with the Norvel 15 for use on a sport stunt ship? I am thinking about building a copy of the old Sterling P-38 (mainly because I always wanted one when I was a teenager, but never got to build one) and was wondering about using the Norvel 15 for power.

Any thoughts, suggestions, comments?

Bill Hodges
OTS Rulz!!

They are too big and too much power. I built one a few years ago with 2 OS15FP's and it was a missle. Look at 2 Cox 09's, or 2 OS10's. If you want Norvels I truly believe that the 074's would fly it too. You can retro the 061 C/L venturi and NVA into it with no problems.
This will keep the weight reasonable and also give you fuel econemy. There isn't a lot of room for a tank. Given the average weight of these planes they need all the help that they can get to slim down.
Another thing is to extend the center sheeting over the booms. It never made sense the way it was designed in the first place.
Don't expect a lot of stunt prowess with it, but it is fun to fly.
Dennis

I had two 19s on mine, many years ago.

The booms, built stock but epoxied back to the LEs, precessed so much, they looked like tuning forks.

A good 3/8" on each side.

Dennis,
Do I understand you correctly when you say that the Norvel .061 venturi/needle assy. will fit the .074 ? I have wondered if that will work, and would really like to try it. The little Norvels are pretty cool, and adding a .074 to my arsenal would be good.

I have seen Norvel 15 powered planes fly. One was on a Sig Acromaster and boy did that guy spin around. I also saw one (AME version I think) powering a TF Arf FliteStreak with absolutely no problems at all.

My only question is whether 2 of those guys on a P38 might be too much. I am not aware of the recommended engine size(s) for that plane, but if it is for a 15, realize that would be an old style 15, which generally has a lot less power than the new ones.

I built a twin Flying Clown with OS 15LA's. It flies great and the OS 15LA's run great and start easily. I'm going to build the Sterling P-38 with 15 LA's. I have a Norvel 15 and I think the OS 15 LA is a better engine, easier starting engine.

There is a Norvel that should be a good fit for the Sterling P-38, but it is not the 15, but the .074! Power equal to the early .09's and less weight. This airplane is small and needs to be light to fly. The two .074's have the power of a really hot .15. Mine had 2 OS Max II 15's and it was overpowered. It also needed some tail weight to balance.
Steve

Malcolm Fawley of the Mid-Iowa Control-liners has a Flight Streak ARF powered by the Norvel .15. He flew it last year at the TreeTown contest in Sugar Grove, IL. It seemed to be a real nice combination.

Fred

I once flew someones P 38 with two Cipolla glow 09's. It flew around in a circle very nicely. I would think 15's would be too much engine.

One of our guys had a P-38 with the LA 15s and a fully sheeted wing. WWAAAYYY heavy! It flew and looked good, but had the glide of a small anvil. Met its end when the lines went slack during a shallow wingover and went down like a stone. Keep it light and use the 074s or 09s.

Thanks for all the good advice, guys. I think I will start looking for a couple of good OS 10's. If that doesn't work out, I will go with LA 15's.

Hope to see a lot of you at the 50th Anniversary edition of the King Orange International in Jacksonville next month. Check out the particulars in the event listings. Drop me an email at [email protected] if you have any questions.

How big is the P-38? I'm wondering if two Norvel BigMig .061s wouldn't work as well as anything else..

>How big is the P-38? I'm wondering if two Norvel BigMig
>.061s wouldn't work as well as anything else..

It's a 36 inch wingspan with almost no wing area to speak of. Heavy wood and two 15 size motors do not make a great flying model. I have 2 kits and they are really only good to copy as they weigh a ton.
If someone wanted to go through the effort and really make a light version of this plane I'm sure that it would be truly great fun to fly.
Our club president flies the Brodak F7F with 2 OS motors. Bob had made a full fuse for this kit and it is heavy by my standards. But it has 2 OS LA15's on and has more then enough grunt to fly well, and even manages to fly with one motor out.This is a considerably larger plane then the P-38
I'll still stand on my comment that properly built 2 Norvel 074's would be fine for this plane. Dennis

I believe it.

Norvel claims 0.38 HP.

OK, it is at 22K. But still.

>How big is the P-38? I'm wondering if two Norvel BigMig
>.061s wouldn't work as well as anything else..

Isky, I'm asking the same question...That is, What is the wing Area
in sq" please???? if this model has less than 200sq" and I'm hearing
suggestions of putting 7-9 oz's of engines up front.....Ouch!
It sounds like twin .049-.061's would be best...Unless there were
two different Sterling P-38s. I always thought there was only one
smallish one produced.
Tony G

>>How big is the P-38? I'm wondering if two Norvel BigMig
>>.061s wouldn't work as well as anything else..
>
>Isky, I'm asking the same question...That is, What is the
>wing Area
>in sq" please???? if this model has less than 200sq" and I'm
>hearing
>suggestions of putting 7-9 oz's of engines up
>front.....Ouch!
> It sounds like twin .049-.061's would be best...Unless
>there were
>two different Sterling P-38s. I always thought there was
>only one
>smallish one produced.
>Tony G

Actually there were 2 P-38's produced by sterling. The one being discussed here and a 1/2A for 2 Cox Baby bee motors. The 1/2 a had a 24 in W/S and is a rare find even for eBay. Had a kind generous individual who won and traced the parts and copied the plans and sent it to me. I built the model and it hangs over my workshop.
As to the weight of motors on the 36 in P-38, Fox 15's weighed around 4 oz apiece. If you are going to use the wood that comes in a typical Sterling kit you will certainly be up for a challange.Use the 074 at the minimum and save yourself some aggravation. If your going to copy the kit and use decent wood and really keep it light perhaps then 1/2a motors might be appropriate. To me that's more work then I would expend on a plane of this caliber. Dennis